AxisBIC - Providing hands-on assistance for Business and Innovation for Cork and Kerry

Seasoned Entrepreneurs who have confirmed their participation at the 2013 Entrepreneur Experience®:

Download the brochure to read the full biographies of each of the Seasoned Entrepreneurs

	JIM BARRY, Managing Director of Barry Group which has grown from a once local business to now one of Ireland’s leading wholesale distribution groups. Barry Group employs 240 people at its company headquarters in Mallow, Co. Cork.
	LARRY BASS, CEO of Screentime ShinAwiL established ShinAwiL Productions Ltd in 1999 before forming a joint venture with Screentime Australia in 2003, and forming Screentime ShinAwiL, now one of the largest independent production companies in Ireland.
	JIM BREEN founded PulseLearning in 1999 and is the driving force behind the company’s high standards of excellence and it’s rapid progression as a globally dominant organization. Jim was invited to join the board of AxisBIC in 2010 and is Chairman of the Entrepreneur Experience®.
	LIAM CASEY is the founder and CEO of PCH International, a venture-backed supply chain management company focused on the consumer electronics, personal computer, medical device, and telecommunication industries. Liam was awarded Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in Ireland in 2006.
	GERRY DONOVAN, chairman of AxisBIC, started his own business in the distribution of wines, beers and spirits in 1984 in the West Cork area and sold it in 1998. Gerry is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and sees this event as about giving back some of the lessons he has learnt along the way.
	JOHN FLAHERTY, CEO and founder of C&F Tooling started his tool making business in 1989 and has built the business to a global success consisting of 7 sites worldwide. In 2008 he took the huge step to invest in the wind industry. In 2008 John was named the 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Ireland.
	DECLAN FOX, Serial entrepreneur, technologist, digital marketer and business coach, co-founded Comnitel Technologies in 1999 and grew the company from start-up, raising €30M from investors. He also co-founded OmniVend in 2005, a successful network, revenue and service management company.
	CHARLES GARVEY, CEO of NitroSell, an eCommerce company focussed on web enabling bricks and mortar retailers, was CEO of Horizon Technology Group from 1990 to 2003. Horizon started life as a small Apple Computer reseller and at its peak was worth over €1b and employed 720 people in 5 countries.
	PAUL HANDS is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years experience in the technology and business sectors. Paul founded a number of technology companies in Ireland, including QCLand QUMAS. Currently Paul is the business promoter of a number of high potential startup ventures focused on World Class University based innovation projects.
	DR. EDMOND HARTY, runs Dairymaster, a world leader in the development and manufacture of dairy farm equipment. Headquartered in Causeway, County Kerry, the company also has operations in the UK and the US, and employs 220 people internationally. Ed won the 2012 Irish Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
	GRAINNE KELLY, CEO and inventor of BubbleBum UK Ltd, manufacturer of the world’s first inflatable car booster seat. Founded in 2009 Bubblebum has rocketed to success, winning major worldwide product awards. Grainne was named Belfast Telegraph Business Woman of the Year in 2010.
	PEACHES KEMP co-founded Itsa Bagel with her sister Domini in 1999. The Kemps now have 12 varied food branches in their company and employ 105 people: 6 itsa bagel shops in the greater Dublin area, 3 cafes in Dublin Castle and 2 restaurants in Brown Thomas Dublin and Cork.
	BILL LIAO, diplomat, investor, entrepreneur, business mentor, philanthropist and author, co-founded the business social network XING, is a venture partner at SOS Ventures, a global venture capital and investment management firm and co-founded Coder Dojo, a movement to assist young people to learn how to program.
	PÁDRAIG Ó CÉIDIGH, developed Aer Arann into one of the fastest growing regional airlines in the world. Passenger numbers rose to over 1.1 million in 2007. Pádraig was named Ernst & Young Irish Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002 and is Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business in NUIG and Chairman of Fáilte Ireland West.
	MICHAEL O’CONNOR is CEO of AxisBIC, a venture consultancy specialising in high technology or innovative projects usually involving international growth. Previous experience was manufacturing and sales start ups with Raychem Corporation before co-founding Intepro, a venture capital backed Irish IT start-up.
	COLUM O’SULLIVAN (Sully) set up Cully & Sully in September 2004 with Cullen Allen from Ballymaloe House. Cully & Sully supply over 1,500 shops nationwide, and is exporting to both France and the UK. Cully & Sully were the first Irish company to win an=award at the Sial d’Or awards in Shanghai and then went on to the Global Sial d’Or awards in Paris.
	PAT O’FLYNN, CEO of Solvotrin, an entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in operational management and strategic leadership roles. He has successfully built businesses from inception and has a proven track record in the Pharmachem and related industries. Pat holds academic qualifications in engineering, business management and corporate finance.
	KEVIN O'LEARY, CEO QUMAS, has been with QUMAS since its inception and was responsible for the original design and development of the company's first product release. Kevin established the company's presence in the United States in 1997 and now serves as the company's chief executive officer.
	COLM PIERCY is CEO of the Digiweb Group. Digiweb developed from an initial focus on web-hosting to become a major, independent telecoms player offering a full service portfolio including data, voice, hosting and broadband. Currently employs 160 people with a turnover in 2012 of 40 million. Colm won the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Industry Category.
	SEAN RYAN is founder and CEO of Aspen Grove. Sean has vast experience of enterprise solution implementation and integration and is now focused on growing Aspen Grove into a significant industry solution provider in real estate and property management. Sean was a finalist in the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Ireland.
	ASIER RUFINO, Deputy Director of Tecnalia Ventures in Northern Spain, worked as a management consultant for Accenture, BNP Paribas and The Parthenon Group. More recently Asier has focused on entrepreneurship and innovation by providing business development, strategy and coaching services to start-ups and SMEs.
	PETE SMYTH founded Broadlake Capital in early 2009 with a view to providing capital and support to growing companies. Previously, Pete was Chief Executive of Noonan Services Group, which was sold in 2008, at the time the company had an annual turnover of €120m and employed 5,500 staff.
	DR JOHNNY WALKER, a diagnostic imaging specialist, founded Global Diagnostics in 2002, a simple digital tele-radiology solution. Global Diagnostics, now headquartered in Dublin, recorded revenues of €26M to June 2012 and 200 Staff internationally. Johnny was a finalist in the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
	FRANKIE WHELEHAN, CEO, Choice Hotels, secured the Choice Hotel franchise for Ireland and developed the 4 Star Clarion Hotel Group, the 3 Star Quality Hotel Group and the budget Comfort Inn Group. Choice Hotels Ireland grew to become the largest 3 and 4 Star Hotel Group in Ireland and in 2007sold both the Quality Hotel and the Comfort Inn Groups.